Twisted Fate
by LynxbyLynx
Summary: This was for the YJ challenge 'Learning things the hard way'. Artemis gets hooked on drugs...and Red Arrow saves her from herself...Fate can be cruel though. Enjoy? One-shot   Also plan on revising it with more detail


[Hello all. This is my first real YJ fan fiction and it's a challenge. The lovely challenge was issued by shintas1st (I think I've got that right) and It's 'Learning Things The Hard Way Challenge'. My characters I will be using mainly are Artemis and Red Arrow. Yes, this is a strange pairing between the two…it does include drug references and sex references…it ain't so much about fluff…as well…hard-core shiz…not really…but Mature rating…because…Wet t-shirts are awesome? ((not)) The way I read this…The requirements require someone to either DIE or get seriously injured due to something…D*mn…Injuries? Hmm….Light 'sensual scene' and then…WHAM.]

Here she was again. On the brink of destruction. Her life had begun to spiral out of control. She felt like it at least. She'd started something she couldn't control. The joint was passed around the club as a few guys fondled her freely. She gave them no struggle. Her life was one big f*ck up. The Young Justice didn't trust her. Wally was f*cking gay and had rejected her for the Boy Wonder. Kaldur had never interested her. M'gann didn't roll that way and Superboy just wasn't interested. So where did that leave Artemis? F*cked up in the head. She inhaled the smoke, feeling the numbness settling over her limbs. It was always like this, the search for the 'first time' experience. It was never enough to satisfy her. She kept seeking out stronger and stronger.

"Hey babe…I gots a little friend down here whose a little…lonely," a bigger thug told her. She flicked her eyes to him wondering about it this time. Would it hurt? Was she ready for this? Did she really want this or was she that depressed? She stood up, following the older man to a backroom. Her systems were so f*cked up right now from the leftover buzz. The older man began to kiss her. He was sweaty and nasty. He smelled of garbage and that's what he tasted like. His hands forced their way under her t-shirt to fondle her chest roughly. She didn't like it. Wasn't really expecting it. Her brain was trying to fight off the effects of too many nights of doing this stuff, but to no avail. She was too far deep into this to back out now. Not without some serious help. The older guy started fumbling with his pants, just as the door flew open.

"Artemis?" a voice asked. Sh*t. Not him again. The Red Arrow. The thug turned seeming confused.

"If you want a turn…You're going to have to wait," the older guy told him. Roy pushed past him, taking Artemis's hands in his, then grabbed her chin, tilting her face to study her eyes.

"Artemis…It's me…Red Arrow," he told her and got no real response. He scooped her up in his arms.

"Put me down," she mumbled, even though she kind of liked where she was being held tightly against his chest. She let her head press against his chest. Strong and firm…and he smelled like…She inhaled softly, trying to identify that smell. Almost like the woods, but masculine. Definitely.

"Come on Artemis," Roy commanded, heading out of the bar's back doors.

"What do you want with me?" she slurred out, knitting her arms around his neck and snuggling against him. She didn't seem to notice that it was raining lightly outside. Roy suppressed a sigh of disapproval as he lead them away to his apartment he was staying at. Not that he…meant to do anything to her. Just help her straighten up. He ended up running some cold water. /This should shock her systems/ he thought, scooping her back off of the bed where he'd sat her down. She gave no real outward sign of recognition of him. He stopped outside of the shower, uncertain of how to do this. He didn't want her to drown by simply tossing her in there. The state she was in…So, being macho he stepped in with her. The cold water was a bit of a shock to his own system and he gritted his teeth against it. Artemis clung to him helplessly and he almost felt bad for doing this to her. He let her slid down a bit so that her feet were touching the ground, but kept his arms around her to hold her up and under the water's cold blast. He glanced down, noting that she'd chosen tonight to wear a white t-shirt and a black bra. D*mn, she was pretty trim under all of that. "c-c-cold," she stuttered, trembling in the water's downpour.

"Artemis…It's me…Roy," he told her. She looked at him, seeming not to recognize him and a lazy grin slid over her face.

"Well~ I've n-n-never seen you in town before…p-p-pretty boy," she said, pressing herself against him. Her lips found his and his back bumped his shower wall. She was grinding her smaller hips against his…and it was such a turn on right now. Wet t-shirt and a pretty girl. "come on…I-I k-know you w-want me…D-don't you want me?" And suddenly the girl was crying. Roy shut the water off, allowing her to cling to his shirt. Tiny droplets of warm water hit his cold chest as she cried. "w-why does n-no one want me?" She looked up at him, blood-shot eyes desperately begging him for help. He looked away.

"I'll…get you a towel…and some clothes," he muttered, leaving her dripping wet and still very much alone in his bathroom. He stripped off his soaked hat and mask, and turned only to bump into Artemis.

"You…don't even want me…" she told him, seeming as if all the joy in life had vanished with the cold shower.

"That's…not true," he muttered, looking away. She glared at him accusingly.

"It is too…ever since I joined the team you've been pushing me away just like W-" She was cut off by his impromptu decision to kiss her. He didn't know what else to do. How could he admit that he had always had feelings for her? Her sarcastic attitude, her flippant way of dealing with people…His jealousy when he thought she and Wally had something going on. No. They were reaching that age where people start to make their own decisions. He pulled back slowly.

"…I…do want you," he told her, and stripped off her wet t-shirt. He slowly pulled off his own outfit. It wasn't so much a race as finishing at the same time. Soon, they were intertwined upon the bed, kissing and exploring each other. Later as they laid nestled together, Artemis against his chest and Roy's arms wrapped around her protectively, Artemis spoke her mind.

"So…Does this make us…you know?" Artemis asked quietly, not looking at him. One of Roy's eyebrows rose.

"make us what?" he asked in reply. She turned red.

"A…a couple?" She demanded, blushing furiously now. She pulled away from him, blanket pulled tightly around her. Roy sat up, gently rubbing a hand against her back.

"Well…do you want us to be?" he asked her. She turned to look at him, tears in her eyes and gave a quick nod. He leaned forward to kiss her again. "Then that's what we'll be…Just…tell me something…Why did you do it? Why destroy yourself? Don't you know the risk? The damage?" She nodded, looking away.

"I…just wanted to escape…" she murmured," Nothing…felt right…or made any sense…and…I thought I could just escape from all my problems and worries…" Roy sighed, and took his hands in hers.

"I understand…but…you'll never have to worry about something like this again…I promise…I will always be there for you," he told her seriously. She smiled, feeling like life was finally looking up for her.

-a few days later-

"Oh…I liked that part," Artemis agreed, holding Roy's hand as they walked down the sidewalk in their 'civilian' clothing. She smiled at Roy who grinned back before leaning down to share another kiss with her. She was going cold turkey and it probably would've been really hard if Roy hadn't been there to give her his support.

"Come on…Where do you want to go now?" he asked her with a soft smile. She let go of his hand to cross the street, not even bothering to look.

"The park~" She drawled out and froze as an 18-wheeler blared horns as it screeched towards her. She was going to die-something hard hit her and she rolled away to safety. She heard the awful sound of something being hit hard and the truck squealed to a halt. The truck-driver got out, shouting for an ambulance. Artemis stood up dazed and confused, she limped over to the front of the truck where Roy laid on the ground. She kneeled beside him, taking his hand in hers. "I-it's going to be okay…" She lied.

"Liar…" he told her and coughed, blood escaping his lips," You…always were a…horrible liar…" He gently touched her wet cheeks with his hand. She hadn't realized she was crying. "D-don't cry…Remember…you aren't…alone…The team…needs you…Artemis…promise me…The team…" He coughed, having trouble inhaling. Artemis was bawling like a baby, and she didn't care who saw her. A few days ago…she'd just been some depressed f*cked in the head drug-addict…today…well…she was about to lose her first and only boyfriend…maybe in the future…he could've been something else…But…she would never know that now.

[A short-little one-shot…Uh…Probably not what anyone was expecting…not my best…but yeah…I had some other ideas for this…but here we go so enjoy?]


End file.
